Ch. 52- Because You Live
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Kovar, and Monkey D. Star © Me
Shade © Gakuto1991
The Straw Hats looked around at all the bodies that lied around Gasparde, who quietly chugged down a bottle of ale down to the very last drop, then tossed the bottle over his shoulder, where it hit the wall and shattered behind him. Beside Gasparde stood a man with pale skin and a shaved head, wearing a black T-shirt and pants, and he had his hands folded behind his back. His biceps had flame-patterned tattoos, and on his face was a tattoo of Gasparde's insignia: two cutlasses over the seagull.
Needless to say...the group immediately sensed something foreboding about him.
"...Must have been some fight," Aika said as she looked at all the bodies.
"That wasn't a fight, Aika," said Zoro. "These men were slaughtered."
"That's even worse...!" Kumi squeaked.
"Zoro, don't scare the girls!" Nami chided.
But Luffy, the past version, didn't seem at all concerned while Shuraiya smirked at the Marine-turned-pirate. As for the pink-haired one, he only gaped in horror.
"G...General Gasparde...why are you here...?!" he asked.
"Gasparde?" Luffy repeated in confusion.
"Is there something wrong with me being here?" asked Gasparde in a low, almost threatening tone.
"Oh, n-no, of course not!" cried the underling, frightfully. "I...I just heard that you were drinking on the ship, so...uh..."
"Do I need your permission to be here?" asked Gasparde, causing the pirate to shriek as he tossed his cutlass aside and bowed his head.
"N-no, no!" he cried. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, sir! Please forgive me! I didn't mean anything by it! Please, enjoy yourself!"
"...I have something to ask you," said Gasparde.
"Err...yes, sir?" asked the pirate.
"...Just who the hell are you?" the former Marine questioned.
"What's he talking about?" Franky asked. "He should know his own crew members, right?"
"Is he stupid or something?" Aika inquired.
"Just keep watching..." Robin muttered.
"Who?" asked the pirate. "You mean me? You must be joking, sir. You know me, I'm-"
"I don't know you," Gasparde interjected, causing the pirate to stand there, gaping in disbelief. "Some weakling like you who was so easily beaten by some no-name pirate...has no place on my crew."
"Huh?!" the pirate questioned. "B-but wait! That was because...no...I-I'm sorry! I'll just-"
Before he could finish, the pale-skinned man that was once at Gasparde's side suddenly appeared behind him and grabbed him by the shoulder so hard, that the Straw Hats could hear the bone crack, then he tossed him over the railing like he was a rag doll, where they could hear a loud splash.
"...That was really mean," said Aika.
"It wasn't just mean, it was cruel," said Blizzard as he glared at Gasparde...and it seemed that Luffy shared his sentiment, for he was glaring at him, as well...but as for Shuraiya, he just stood there with that same cocky smirk.
"Well, you looked like you were having fun," said Gasparde. "Who are you?"
"Who, me?" asked Shuraiya as he pulled out a black hat and placed it on his head. "I'm just a poor, no-name bounty hunter...the name's Shuraiya."
Nearby, the other pirates were whispering and chatting amongst themselves as they heard Shuraiya's name, calling him "The Pirate Executioner".
"Dude, you're a bounty hunter?" asked Luffy.
"Yeah," Shuraiya answered. "I've made a bit of a name for myself, it seems."
"I've heard of you, too, boy," said Gasparde as he looked to Luffy, who looked back at him. "For a man worth 30 million, you don't look like much, but it seems you've done pretty well for yourself, haven't you?"
"Wait, I'm confused," Chopper said. "Shouldn't Luffy's bounty have gone up by now?"
"I guess it took a while for the updated wanted posters to get around," Nami replied. "It happens."
"So, what do you say?" Gasparde asked with a toothy grin. "Do you boys want to work under me?"
"Psh! Fat chance!" Usopp scoffed. "Luffy never wants to work under anybody!"
"That's right," Sanji replied. "Luffy would sooner eat dirt than join under someone."
"Whoa, whoa," said Shuraiya. "I'm supposed to be hunting you guys, not joining you guys."
"Just look at me, an Ex-Marine," said Gasparde. "You have the kind of guts and skills that I like. I only like strong guys like you, after all."
"Well, this is certainly unexpected," said Shuraiya.
"I know how that is," Zoro quipped, remembering when he joined Luffy.
"Well, what do you think?" Shuraiya asked as he turned to Luffy. "You wanna join him?"
"No way!" Luffy answered, bluntly, which caused the bounty hunter to frown. "This guy smells like trash."
Apparently, Gasparde didn't really take too kindly to that statement, and it seemed that his henchman wasn't going to take it lying down either, for the next thing Luffy or the rest of the Straw Hats knew, Luffy was suddenly being grabbed while the pale man held up long, hooked claws to his throat, and the sudden force caused him to drop his hat.
"Oh, no! My hat!" Luffy cried as he tried to grab it.
"AAH! Big Brother!" Aika cried, worriedly.
"Why am I not surprised?" Nami asked, incredulously. "Luffy's trying to get himself killed, again!"
"Heheheheheh!" Gasparde chortled, darkly. "While I do like your dauntless courage, I suggest you watch your mouth from now on...otherwise, you might end up getting yourself killed."
"As much as I hate to say it," Usopp began, "sometimes, Luffy doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. He's gotten himself and us in a lot of trouble that way."
"You think that's gonna stop him?" Zoro asked. "Besides, he's right...this Gasparde guy does smell like trash."
Luffy grunted as he felt tiny trickles of blood beginning to drip from his throat while the pale-skinned man continued to sink his claws into him, but Shuraiya just stood there, completely stone-faced.
"How can he just stand there like that?!" Usopp asked.
"Do whatever the hell you wish," said Gasparde as he stood up and walked away, "but only because I spared your life." He briefly turned to Luffy and Shuraiya. "But do come to my ship if you accept." He then turned to leave. "Needles...let the boy go, as an advance celebration of the race."
The man, Needles, soon released Luffy, who rubbed at his neck while he turned to follow Gasparde...but when his bare foot nearly touched his hat, Luffy's eyes went wide with a familiar fury.
"HEY!" he shouted. "DON'T YOU STEP ON THAT!"
Shuraiya gasped silently while Gasparde paused, and as for Needles, he backed away from the straw hat as Luffy went to pick it up.
"Move!" Luffy demanded. "Don't touch it! This hat is my treasure!"
Aika gripped at the sides of Luffy's hat on instinct.
"That old straw hat is your treasure?" asked Shuraiya.
"It's an important hat that Shanks left with me," Luffy answered while he dusted his hat off.
"Shanks?" Shuraiya repeated. "As in that great pirate, Red-Haired Shanks?"
"Yep," Luffy answered as he put his hat back on.
"Heh," Shuraiya smirked. "You're no ordinary pirate, are you?"
"No, I'm just a regular pirate, all right," Luffy replied. "I'm out here, looking for the legendary treasure, the One Piece...but I guess once I become King of the Pirates, I won't be so ordinary, will I?"
"If you ask me, Luffy was always an extraordinary pirate," said Chopper.
"I think that's Luffy's way of being modest," Robin mused.
As usual with the type of pirates that Luffy encountered, Gasparde let out a hacking laugh.
"That's pretty big talk!" he exclaimed. "Do you have any idea what that means on this sea?"
"Not really," Luffy answered, "but I already made up my mind to become the King of the Pirates." He then gave his usual cocky grin. "And I have to die fighting for that...then I die, plain and simple."
"...I wish he didn't have to say 'die'," Aika muttered.
"Yeah, so do I, honey," said Nami.
"...Just another big-mouthed rookie, huh?" Gasparde scoffed before he walked away...and to everyone's surprise, somehow, Needles ended up standing beside him and closed the door.
"...Well, I don't know about you," Shuraiya started, "but I don't feel like fighting you, anymore. How about we settle this another time? Sound good to you?"
"Sure," Luffy grinned, which caused the bounty hunter to grin back at him.
"Next time, I'll have your head," he said before he turned and walked away, and soon, the memory faded to black.
"...That guy was scary," said Aika. "Gasparde, I mean...and the other guy with the claws."
"Yeah, they were both pretty frightening, honey," Nami replied as she held Aika close to her.
"That Needles guy was lucky I wasn't there," Zoro spoke up.
"Yes, but he was quite fast," Brook added. "Do you think you would have been able to handle someone with that sort of speed?"
"Moss-head's slower than a bucket of molasses," Sanji quipped, only to quickly jump out of the way when Zoro tried to slash him with one of his swords.
"Say that again, Dartboard!" he barked. "I dare you!"
"Oh, boy, not again," Blizzard groaned, but then, the dark void around them began to brighten up a bit, and as the memory revealed itself, the Straw Hats saw that it was the very crack of dawn, and the crew was outside on the harbor, preparing to set sail. Luffy yawned as he stood on the yardarm, helping Past Sanji untie the sails.
"Hey! All set over there?" asked Past Sanji.
"Yeah, all set," Luffy yawned, again.
"How come everyone was up so early?" Franky asked.
"We had to get ready for the race since it started first thing in the morning," Nami answered.
"But where are all the other contestants?" asked Brook.
"They're around," Robin answered. "They've just gathered at different starting points than we did."
As soon as the sails were unfurled and the anchor was hoisted up, Luffy noticed that Past Nami was looking at the Eternal Pose in her hand with an almost troubled expression, prompting him to stretch his arm and jump down beside her.
"Something wrong, Nami?" Luffy asked.
"The Eternal Pose's needle keeps pointing over that mountain," Past Nami answered as she pointed to the mountain up ahead.
"So, that's where the starting point is?" asked Past Sanji as he climbed down the rope rigging.
"Not exactly," Past Nami replied. "The bookkeeper said that this is town is the starting point."
"I don't see any other ships around here," said Past Zoro. "You think they got lost or something?"
"Kinda like you, Zoro!" Luffy pointed.
"SHUT YOUR HOLE!" the swordsman shouted while the Straw Hats snickered.
"Luffy still has you pegged, huh, Moss-head?" Sanji smirked.
"Oh, be quiet!" Zoro snapped. "Seriously!"
"Hey, what's going on?" Past Usopp asked as he came from the aft. "Everything okay?"
"We are indeed at one of the starting points," said Past Robin as she came outside. "This island actually has several rivers that branch in from the sea and they all meet at the main stream in front of us."
"In front of us...?" Past Nami repeated before she looked toward the mountain. "Wait...you mean there?!"
"The other ships should be at standby at the other branches," Past Robin said. "The real starting point is at the very top of the mountain."
"Hey, hold on!" Past Nami cried. "Are you saying we have to sail UP the mountain?!"
"Exactly," said Past Robin. "Just like what you've experienced on Reverse Mountain, correct?"
"Well...yeah, but there was a huge current back then!" Past Nami argued.
"The same thing happens here," said Past Robin. "Once every few years or so, a strong back current, followed by a powerful gale arrives at this island. That's what we'll be using to climb the mountain."
"Ahh..." Past Sanji sighed, lovingly. "You're so smart, Robin dearest...!"
"Wow, Aunt Robin!" Aika exclaimed. "You know everything!"
"When Robin's smarts are combined with my navigational skill," Nami began, "we make a pretty good team."
"Well, a girl has to do her research, you know," Robin added while Zoro smirked as he put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, causing her to chuckle.
"Well...I can understand the theory, but..." Past Nami muttered, sounding very unsure.
"So it's a Mystery Start, right?" asked Luffy, who had his hands behind his head and that same dopey grin on his face.
"That's not it, doofus," said Past Usopp as he smacked his hand against Luffy's chest before he looked to Past Nami. "Hey, Nami, are you certain about this? The Merry was almost ripped to shreds that time, remember?!"
"You were certainly worried, weren't you, Usopp?" Brook asked.
"I had every right to be worried, thank you!" Usopp spat.
"Ah, we'll be fine!" Luffy assured. "We'll make it out, somehow!"
"He always says that," Chopper noted.
"And yet, it's true, isn't it?" Robin asked.
"Gotta hand it to Luffy," Franky began, "he sure can be an optimist!"
All of a sudden, Past Nami tensed up as she sensed something approaching before she turned around and started shouting orders, getting everyone prepared for the incoming wind. Luffy hurriedly climbed up to the yardarm, Past Usopp ran to the rudder helm, Past Chopper ran to the aft to keep watch, and Past Zoro and Past Sanji were called to watch the shrouds of both sides of the mast. As for Past Robin, she just stood on standby up on the upper deck, observing the others.
"Wow, look at you guys running around like that," said Aika.
"When it comes to Nami's orders, we don't mess around," Sanji grinned.
"How come Robin didn't have to anything?" Usopp asked.
"I felt like Robin helped enough with her little details," Nami said.
"Why do I have a feeling it was something else?" asked Blizzard.
"Hey, Robin?" asked Chopper. "How come you were always watching us like that?"
"I suppose I was doing my own little analysis, like Luffy does," Robin said. "I wanted to see how you all worked together in an emergency."
"Ah," Chopper nodded. "That makes sense."
Soon, the Past Straw Hats took their positions, watching, waiting for this powerful gale...and at first, the waters seemed calm. Then, all of a sudden, the wind began to pick up, ever so slightly...and then, in a huge burst, a powerful wind current suddenly filled the Merry's sails and pushed her along the water, so much so, that the little caravel ship's figurehead nearly dipped below the surface!
"Man! That must have been some wind!" Franky exclaimed.
"You have no idea!" Nami replied.
As the wind pushed the group through a dark (which Past Usopp complained about, again), the rest of the crew all had these excited grins on their faces, as if knowing that another grand adventure was about to begin.
"ALL RIGHT!" Luffy cheered. "LET'S GOOOOOOOO~!"
As soon as they emerged, the Past Straw Hats found themselves in a large harbor town, much bigger than the one they had entered when they first got to the island. Crowds of people were cheering from the streets and even on the rooftops.
"Wow, look at all those pirates!" Aika exclaimed as she sat on top of Zoro's shoulders to get a better look.
"There's a whole mess of 'em!" Kumi added. "Way too many to count!"
"Were they all cheering for you?" Brook inquired.
"Not exactly," Usopp answered with a sweatdrop.
As if to affirm this, the group heard several shouts from the crowd.
"Hey, you punks in the sheep boat! You stupid rookies better not mess this up!"
"Yeah! I bet a lot on the favorite!"
"If you win, I'll kill you all!"
"Ouch," Franky winced.
"Eh," Nami shrugged. "We expected it."
While Past Nami and Past Zoro were talking about Gasparde, Past Sanji suddenly spotted something while he clung to the rigging of the sails: it was a huge steam-stoked battleship with the Marine insignia crossed out, and the figurehead consisted of a huge, golden dragon that had its mouth gaping open.
"Yeesh!" Blizzard grimaced. "Is that Gasparde's ship?!"
"It sure is," Nami answered.
"That's the ship of the top favorite, Gasparde," said Past Nami as she went to go look, herself. "It's called The Salamander."
"That ship, there?" asked Past Sanji.
"What's with the mark on the sails?" Past Usopp inquired. "It looks like the mark of the Marines, but it's crossed out!"
"Exactly," said Past Nami. "Gasparde was a former Marine. He turned traitor after he seized control of the ship that he had been assigned to. Right now, the bounty on his head is 95 million Berries."
"95 mill- hey, wait a minute!" Past Usopp cried. "That makes him some kinda big shot, doesn't it?!"
"Pretty much," Past Nami said, nonchalantly. "We also have to look out for an ability that he has. Apparently, he ate a Devil Fruit, but it's not known what it's called. He's been given the moniker of 'General', but the rumors about him aren't so pleasant."
"Well, he is a pirate, so of course the rumors aren't gonna be-" Past Usopp started.
"So what if he is?" Luffy asked, his back turned.
"Huh?" Past Usopp muttered. "Luffy?"
"...I hate that guy's guts," Luffy said, bitterly.
"I don't like him, either," Aika said, worriedly. "The fact that he used to be a former Marine makes it worse."
"I don't blame you," said Blizzard. "The very moment I saw that creep, I knew he was nothing but trouble."
At that moment, a few more ships appeared, one belonging to a pirate known as Vigaro "the Hanged Man", Willy the Orca Fishman, and finally, the ship of the two Giant Brothers, Bobby and Pogo. Vigaro was taunting the Past Straw Hats, claiming that their ship would never survive the "Grand Fall" and laughing at them all the while, but they seemed to ignore him.
"Uh...what's a Grand Fall?" asked Aika.
"You're about to see in a minute," Nami answered, and as soon as she said that, the ships all started tilting upward as they went up a very steep incline...in fact, they were almost going up a total 90-degree angle!
"Uh...hey, are you guys gonna be all right?!" Franky questioned.
"It's nothing to worry about!" Nami answered. "Besides, we end up going through the same thing about a couple of weeks after this!"
"Huh? What are you talking about?" asked Aika.
"You'll see later on," Robin replied.
Soon, the crew had reached the very summit of the mountain, where they saw the sun nearly touch the clouds...and below them...a drop of more than a thousand meters.
"...Eep...!" Aika squeaked.
"...Holy shizz...!" Blizzard gasped.
Franky and Brook only gaped in complete shock and disbelief...and Kumi? Well, she fainted.
But for the Straw Hats that had been there...all they could do was grin.
"YAHOOOOOOOO~!" Luffy cheered as he jumped high up into the air...and not long after he did so, the Merry began to plummet! The Past Straw Hats had to hang on tight just to keep themselves from falling overboard before they landed at the bottom of the waterfall, then proceeded down the canal with the other ships, and Past Nami was so shaken, she was frothing at the mouth!
"So...that's the Grand Fall...?!" Past Nami asked.
"Miss Navigator!" Past Robin called. "Now's not the time to be overwhelmed!"
As soon as she said this, huge explosions were heard all around, followed by loud, bloodthirsty howls. Ships were suddenly being shot down and torn apart, left and right!
"What's going on?!" asked Aika.
"What are they all doing?!" Franky questioned.
"This is all part of the race," Zoro answered. "After all, it wouldn't be a pirate race without a little bit of a bloodbath, here and there."
"How typical, coming from you," Nami mused.
Not long after, another ship came after the Merry. It was a huge galleon ship and its crew consisted of at least 40 men. Past Nami put Past Usopp in charge of cannon duty, and though the sniper had his complaints, he quickly geared up and put on his goggles, showing that he was about to get serious.
"FIRE!" Past Usopp shouted as he lit the fuse on the cannon, which quickly shot down the galleon with no problems. "Ha! The manliest of men, Usopp, is here!"
"Wow, Usopp!" Kumi exclaimed after she woke up. "That was awesome!"
"You got them in one shot!" Aika added.
"Not too shabby, there," Blizzard grinned.
"Yeah, well...my skills are nothing to laugh at, you know!" a flattered Usopp exclaimed while scratching the back of his head.
All around, the fighting continued with the other pirates, but Luffy didn't seem at all bothered by it. In fact, he actually started laughing as he sat on the figurehead.
"They sure are going all out, huh?" he asked. "Everybody sure is having fun!"
"If you can call it that," Nami muttered before she sighed. "I will never understand men."
"Yohohoho!" Brook laughed. "Goodness, this takes me back to the old days! Swashbuckling on the open seas! Couldn't get enough of it, I say!"
"Glad you're enjoying it, at least," said Franky.
"Yeah...kinda makes me wish that I was there," Blizzard added.
Suddenly, several ships had crashed into the town due to how fast the current was going. Bobby and Pogo even crashed because they attempted to use the capsized ships as a ramp and fly to the open sea, but they underestimated the distance.
"Chopper, quick!" Past Nami cried. "Turn the rudder!"
"I'm trying!" Past Chopper, trying to steer the rudder in his Heavy Point form. "But it's not shifting!"
"We'll crash at this rate!" Past Nami shouted in alarm. "What are we gonna do?!"
"H-Hey!" Past Usopp called. "We're almost off course, here!"
"You think if I kicked the ship, it would cushion it?" asked Past Zoro.
"As if that would work!" Past Nami yelled...but then, she suddenly got an idea. "Ah! A cushion! Oh, Luffy~!"
"Hmm?" Luffy hummed, inquisitively...and soon after, he jumped off the ship, taking in a big breath of air before he inflated himself. The Merry soon landed on his body, which caused his face to turn red, but he quickly started to roll along the capsized ship, sending the caravel into the air.
"LUFFY! GRAB ON, QUICK!" Past Usopp called out, prompting Luffy to deflate before he stretched his arm and caught it, getting dragged along as the ship flew...but it was still about to fall into the town!
"But...WHAT DO WE DO, NOW?!" Past Chopper questioned.
"Leave that to me," said Past Robin as she crossed her arms. "Gran Fleur!"
Soon after, a huge army made of many more arms sprouted from the starboard-side of the Merry, grabbing onto the roof of a building (which frightened the onlookers) before it pulled the ship toward the stream.
"NICE, ROBIIIIIIIN~!" Luffy cheered as he was dragged along before he finally made it aboard, just as the ship landed on the water and out into the open sea, along with several other ships.
"You made it!" Aika exclaimed.
"Yeah...by some miracle, we did," Chopper said. "I remember I passed out not long after that little stunt!"
"Lucky you," Usopp bemoaned.
"Just another day on the Grand Line, right, Usopp?" Zoro asked.
"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I'm used to it, even now!" Usopp argued.
"Man," said Past Sanji. "It's almost unreal how often stuff like this happens. I almost can't believe we made it this far."
"Uh...th-thanks, Robin!" Past Nami stammered. "All according to plan!"
"You liar!" Past Zoro spat.
"Well, looks like we're well on our way," said Past Robin while a passed-out Past Chopper lied beside her. "Let's just enjoy the rest of the ride, shall we?"
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed while Past Usopp stood behind him with his hands over his heart. "Man, I'm really pumped here! It looks like we're only at the tail of the pack, but we're just gettin' started! This is what it means to be a pirate, after all!"
Past Zoro and Past Sanji both smirked while Past Nami was chanting about the money. Past Robin had that usual smile of amusement on her face while Past Usopp was muttering about his "I-can't-leave-this-island-disease".
"All right then, you guys!" Luffy exclaimed. "Let's get going!"
"Aye-aye~!" the Past Straw Hats cheered...although Past Usopp's cheer was rather weak and Past Chopper was still out cold.
"What an exciting start to a race!" said Aika. "My heart's still pounding!"
"Be careful there, small fry," said Zoro. "You don't wanna get too overwhelmed, now."
"Man, as I'd expect from a pirate's race," said Blizzard. "Cutthroats and brigands galore, huh?"
"Man, that sure was reckless," Franky said, "but then again, that's the pirate life for you."
"Yeah, but Merry sure took a beating," said Usopp. "I really felt sorry for everything we put her through."
The memory shifted, showing the Merry sailing along calmer waters with a few reefs surrounding her. Past Nami had sent Past Zoro to check for any damages, to which he begrudgingly obliged. As for Luffy, he sat on the figurehead, as usual, just minding his own business, and Past Nami soon came and stood behind him.
"You really shouldn't sit up there, Luffy," said Past Nami.
"Why not?" Luffy asked. "It feels nice up here!"
"That's not the problem," Past Nami answered. "You could fall off and sink into the water. I don't want to have to fish you out again, like last time."
"Ah, don't worry about it," Luffy rebuffed as he looked toward the horizon, causing Past Nami to sigh.
"What am I gonna do with you?" she muttered in exasperation.
"You wanna sit with me?" Luffy asked.
"What?" Past Nami asked, but then, without warning, Luffy stretched his arm, coiled it around her waist, and then hoisted her up beside him, causing her to yelp in surprise before he gently set her down.
"You idiot!" Past Nami shouted. "At least warn me before you do that!"
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed. "Sorry, sorry." He looked back toward the open sea. "Anyway...it's nice up here, right?"
Past Nami blinked at Luffy before she looked toward the horizon with him...and as the wind softly blew through her hair, she smiled.
"Actually...it kinda does feel nice," she said.
"Wow...!" Aika whispered. "Big Brother shared his special seat with you!"
"Yeah...his methods are a little strange," Nami said, "but...I guess Luffy can be a bit romantic, even if he doesn't know it, sometimes."
"Never really pegged him for something like that," Sanji quipped.
"Uh...hey, guys!" Past Zoro called. "We have a problem!"
"What is it, Zoro?" asked Past Nami...only to gasp upon seeing the swordsman holding an unconscious boy of at least 8 years over his shoulder.
"Wait, who was that kid?" Franky asked.
"That was Adelle," Nami replied. "She was a cabin girl on Gasparde's ship, but only because she was an assistant to the boiler man on board."
"Wait...girl?" Brook asked. "Strange...this Adelle looks like a young lad to me."
"Uh...about that," Zoro said. "We thought that the kid was a boy at first because she acted so tomboyish and stuff. Back then, she called herself 'Anaguma'."
"I figured it out right away," Chopper added. "The others just didn't realize until much, MUCH later."
"And you still knocked her out, Zoro, you brute," said Nami.
"Oh, will you lay off?!" Zoro questioned. "I told you, she pulled a gun on me the first time!"
"She had a gun?!" Aika questioned.
Suddenly, the memory shifted, showing Luffy, Past Usopp, and Past Robin walking up the stairs as they heard the sound of Adelle/Anaguma yelling about some things. They soon entered the galley, where they saw Past Nami and Past Zoro sitting at the table, Past Sanji in the corner, sauteeing some food in a pan, Past Chopper sitting on the floor, and Adelle standing in the corner.
"I was sent here to kill you all and make some damn money!"
"She sure has a mouth on her," Blizzard sneered. "You sure she was a girl?"
"Trust me, we were surprised, too," Sanji replied.
"Sounds like our guest is awake," said Past Robin.
"So he was sent here to kill us, huh?" asked Past Usopp. "Luffy, what do you think about all this?"
"I guess we can't really count on him being friendly," Luffy shrugged. "I think it's time someone taught him a few manners, huh?"
"Manners?" Aika asked.
"Don't worry, Aika, it's not as bad as you think," Nami replied.
"Money, huh?" asked Past Nami. "At least you're being straightforward it. But why pick this particular ship when there are so many others?"
"Isn't it obvious?" asked Past Usopp, putting on his usual "Mr. Cool" act. "We are the infamous Straw Hat Pirates, after all."
"I don't know anything about you guys!" spat Adelle. "I only picked this ship because it looked so weak compared to the others!"
"Okay, Luffy, you can laugh now," Past Usopp muttered, and Luffy did just that.
"Don't laugh at me!" Adelle shouted. "I'm serious!"
"Hey, calm down!" cried Past Chopper as he went over to his side. "You're still pretty-"
"Get away from me!" Adelle yelled as he pushed the little reindeer away.
"Oh, dear..." Brook muttered. "That poor child looks like she must have been through something terrible."
"You can tell?" Nami asked.
"It's a bit of an intuitive thing," Brook replied.
"I can sense it, too," Aika said. "She's really bitter about something."
"Well...you'll see why in a little while," said Robin.
"Pirates should be used to being marked for death," Luffy began with that same cocky grin, "but if you're not ready to put your life on the line, then you sure as hell aren't ready to fight me."
Hearing that caused Adelle to grit his teeth as she glared at Luffy.
"What did Luffy have to go and say that for?!" Kumi asked.
"Because he's right," Zoro said. "The kid can't go around, toting guns and talking big. She'd get herself killed faster that way."
"It's just like Luffy and Shanks said before, remember?" asked Blizzard. "Guns aren't for threats, they're for action. Once you have a weapon, you have to be willing to use it."
"...Oh, yeah..." Aika muttered in realization.
"Right..." Kumi added, her ears drooping.
Just then, Past Robin tossed Adelle the pistol that was on the table using her powers, then attempted to call the tomboy out on her bluff (despite Past Usopp's attempts to stop her from making things worse). The child demanded not to be made a fool of and quickly shot at Luffy...whose powers quickly bounced the bullet right back at her, hitting the wall right next to her head...and the poor thing looked like she was about to soil herself not long after. The Straw Hats couldn't help feeling just a little sorry for her.
After that, Past Nami soon explained Devil Fruits to the disguised girl, who was even more surprised when she saw Past Chopper transform into his Heavy Point form after being called a deer. After that...she had a look of bitterness and sadness in her eyes.
"...Kill me," she said before she dropped down on her bottom. "Go ahead and kill me! Just do it, dammit!"
Any members of the Straw Hats who weren't there at the time of the memory could only stare in shock...and a bit of pity, too, though they tried not to show it.
"Impressive resolve," said Past Nami, "is what I would say...but don't you think you're treating your life a little too lightly?"
"As if I need to be lectured by a damn pirate," cursed Adelle. "Why should I care, anyway? What's the point of living if there's no hope left?! I'd be better off dead!"
"...My god...!" Franky whispered. "Poor kid must've been through hell."
"Yeah...just like me..." Nami muttered.
"Just like a lot of us, Nami," Robin added.
Aika didn't say anything...but she wouldn't deny that she, too, felt that way. During her time on Punk Hazard, trapped in the Biscuits Room with all the other children...she was still mourning the loss of her mother with just Kumi for company. Caesar's experiments on her didn't help her cope at all. All the pain she had been forced to endure nearly left her hopeless until Luffy and the others showed up...and to this day, she was grateful that he did.
"It's easy to lose hope when things look bleak," Brook said. "I just can't seem to understand what kind of situation Young Miss Adelle was in to make her feel that way."
"You'll see, later," said Nami.
"Uh...Nami?" Franky asked as he watched the memory. "What the hell are you doing?!"
As the others looked up, they saw Past Nami holding one of Past Zoro's swords as she approached Adelle, who cried out in fright while Past Chopper stood in front of her.
"Quit that damn self-pity crap," Past Nami cursed as she drew the blade. "If that's what you want so bad, then I'll kill you right now!"
"Stop it, Nami!" Past Chopper cried.
"Shut up!" Past Nami yelled. "Don't get in my way...people like him piss me off the most! No reason to keep living, huh?! If you're alive, then you can't talk about dying like that!"
"Please stop, Nami!" Past Chopper urged. "You've made your point, okay?!"
Nearby, Past Usopp and Luffy were just casually sipping tea and eating rice crackers.
"YOU GUYS DO SOMETHING, TOO!" yelled Past Chopper.
"The food's ready!" Past Sanji called as he set some stirfry down on the table while Past Zoro watched with an all too amused grin on his face.
"SANJI, NOT YOU, TOO!" Past Chopper shouted as he shifted into Heavy Point in order to hold Past Nami back...but that didn't stop from her trying to hack at Adelle with Past Zoro's sword.
"I don't care if he's a little kid!" Past Nami yelled. "I'LL TAKE HIS IDEALS AND CUT THEM IN HAAAAAAAALF!"
And on that, the memory faded to black.
"...I forget how scary Big Sis can be, sometimes," Aika said, nervously.
"I think it's safe to say we all do," Chopper added.
"Oh, come on, you guys, I'm not THAT scary...am I?" Nami asked.
"I'd argue with you, Nami, but you can be terrifying," said Usopp.
"I have to admit, even I get a little frightened of you, half the time," Sanji pointed out.
"Yohohohoho...!" Brook laughed, nervously while Blizzard and Kumi both whimpered with their tails tucked between their legs.
"Well, I've mellowed out a little, at least, haven't I?" Nami asked with a bit of a pout.
"You really want us to answer that question?" asked Zoro, causing Nami to glare at him.
"You sure looked like you were enjoying the show, though," said Franky as he glanced at Zoro, who chuckled almost darkly.
"What can I say?" he asked. "I didn't think she'd actually have it in her."
"And people say I have a dark sense of humor," Robin added.
At that moment, the memory began to return, showing the Going Merry sailing through a light snowfall. Luffy and Past Usopp were out on the deck, not wearing anything to shield them from the cold.
"Brr~!" Past Usopp shivered as he hugged himself for warmth. "It's freezin' out here! How can you not be bothered by this?!"
"I dunno," Luffy shrugged.
"Jeez...Nami sure looked scary, earlier," Past Usopp said. "And I mean more than usual! Who'd have thought she would go ballistic like that?"
"Well, it's not her fault," Luffy replied.
"Eh?" Past Usopp asked.
"I think Nami got mad because that kid reminded her of how she used to be," said Luffy.
Nami's eyes went wide while Luffy kept talking.
"I think she just got upset because that kid was talking about not wanting to live anymore...even though he's still just a kid," the Straw Hat Captain said...his eyes hooded beneath the rim of his hat. "It's actually kinda sad when you think about it."
Past Usopp only blinked at Luffy while the others just continued to watch the memory. Back then, they often found it a bit scary when their captain suddenly talked so insightfully when he was usually such a goofball, half the time. At first, they didn't know where he would get these "sudden bouts of wisdom" as they put it...but now that they were watching his memories, they were starting to see where he came from.
Of course, he would go back to being an idiot in mere seconds, acting as if what he said never even happened...just like now.
"GAH! It's freezing out here!" Luffy cried.
"Typical..." Past Usopp muttered.
Suddenly, they heard a voice nearby.
"I think you should continue living just a bit longer. I know life can be harsh...but if you can get through it, you'll be able to see tomorrow."
"That sounds like Sanji," said Aika.
"It was," Sanji answered. "I was talking to Adelle outside."
Sure enough, there was Past Sanji, putting a blanket over Adelle, who was sitting alone on the deck, hugging her knees and curled up into a ball, and yet the cook was smiling at her, warmly. As the cook turned to leave, he suddenly came face to face with Luffy and Past Usopp, the latter giving him an almost smug grin.
"So what was that about?" asked Past Usopp. "You seem awfully nice to that kid."
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed.
"...Oh, yeah," Past Sanji muttered. "I wonder why."
"Why were you so nice to Adelle, Sanji?" asked Nami.
"I guess part of me figured that she was a girl, too," Sanji shrugged. "Call it intuition, I guess."
The memory shifted, once again, this time showing the Going Merry sailing through the seas as storm clouds began to form in the sky...and it was soon they weren't the only ones, for they were being followed by Vigaro and his crew. The "Hanged Man" laughed at the motley crew mockingly, claiming that he was surprised that they had made it this far, but it didn't seem that the Past Straw Hats were listening to him. In fact, the whole time, they thought that they were in last place, when really, it was Vigaro who was last...which, of course, pissed him off. Past Usopp, in fright, shot him down with a single Gunpowder Star...which only further enraged Vigaro's men more, scaring the sniper into hiding.
"All right, guys! You handle this one!" he called out.
"You sure take one for the team, don't ya?" Blizzard asked, sarcastically.
"All right! Let me handle this!" Luffy exclaimed as he prepared to stretch his arms and jump aboard Vigaro's ship.
"Hey, hold on there," said Past Zoro. "The cook and I will handle this."
"Let someone else have some fun, once in a while," Past Sanji added.
"Aww...fine," Luffy pouted.
"Big Brother hates being left out of a fight, huh?" asked Aika.
"That's because he really loves it," Nami said with an amused smile.
Soon, the brawl had started, and Past Zoro and Past Sanji had made short work of the grunts in almost little to no time at all. However, during the fight, the sea began to tremble, and imagine the surprise of the Past Straw Hats when a familiar pack of Sea Kings suddenly appeared from beneath the water!
"Those are the same Sea Kings from the Calm Belt!" Franky exclaimed.
"I thought they only lived there!" Aika cried.
"Sea Kings can change their nests however they like!" Nami answered. "Why do you think they get the names?!"
The biggest Sea King, one with the harlequin spots, opened its mouth as it attempted to eat Vigaro's ship with Past Zoro and Past Sanji on board. Naturally, Luffy attempted to help...in his own Luffy way.
"ZORO! SANJI! GRAB ON, QUICK!" Luffy called as he stretched his arm...only to grab the Sea King's nostril.
"JUST WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU AIMING, STUPID?!" Past Zoro and Past Sanji yelled, and not long after, the Sea King let out an enormous sneeze, sending both the Merry and Vigaro's ship flying, though the latter ended up sinking below the water.
"Oh, those guys sank," said Luffy.
"Hey! What about Zoro and Sanji?!" Past Usopp questioned.
"Oh, you're right!" Luffy cried. "HEY, GUYS!"
"That moron..." Zoro muttered.
"Why do we even bother, sometimes?" Sanji asked.
"At least he went back for you, right?" Aika asked.
Soon, the memory shifted again, this time showing the Past Straw Hats sitting in the galley together, eating a delicious dinner.
"I bet you're relieved, huh, Zoro?" Luffy asked.
"Couldn't you have gotten us outta there sooner, you idiot?" asked Past Zoro.
"Ah, don't sweat it!" Luffy exclaimed before he laughed...but nearby, Adelle sat in the corner, glaring at the group and curled up in a ball, again before she hid her face in her arms, once more. Luffy happened to catch this out of the corner of his eye before he stood up and walked toward her, then squat down to her height level.
"Hey...aren't you gonna eat something?" Luffy asked, causing Adelle to raise her head up, again. "We saved some for you, y'know."
"That's the first time I've ever seen Luffy be considered over someone who isn't eating," Sanji said.
"Yeah, he usually tries to snatch it for himself, doesn't he?" asked Kumi.
There was a slight pause before Adelle spoke.
"Are you guys always like this?" she asked Luffy.
"Huh?" Luffy muttered.
"You guys tell me not to treat my life so lightly," said Adelle, "and yet you guys go pulling dangerous crap like that and then act like it's no big deal! You guys could have been killed back there!"
"Haha!" Luffy laughed. "Yeah, that was pretty dangerous, huh?"
"Stop laughing!" shouted Adelle. "What's the matter with you?! Aren't you even a little afraid of dying?!"
"Of course, I'm afraid of dying," Luffy replied.
"Then why?!" questioned Adelle, causing Luffy's smile to fall for a moment as the memory momentarily flashed back to when Shanks saved Luffy's life when he was just a boy.
"...A long time ago, when I was just a kid," Luffy began, "a pirate saved my life. He lost his arm for me." He then grinned as he took his hat off and held it proudly. "That's why I won't just throw my life away...but I do have a dream. Something that I want more than anything...no matter what it takes! And yeah, it'll be pretty tough for me...but I decided a long time ago that that's what I wanted to do." He then glanced at Adelle, who stared at him with her mouth gaping open. "And if I die fighting for that, then I can't say I didn't try, now can I?"
Adelle only stared at Luffy in disbelief...or maybe it was...or perhaps disbelief and awe mixed together. One thing was for certain...the Straw Hats couldn't be any prouder of their captain.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time on One Piece: The Fire Within!
*There are explosions going around everywhere*
Past Nami: I can't believe this! We've been duped!
Aika: What is that place?!
Nami: That's Navarone...it was all part of Gasparde's trap!
*Past Luffy and Gasparde are now on the Salamander*
Gasparde: You think you have what it takes to beat me, boy?
Past Luffy: Stop your yapping and come at me.
*There is blood seen spraying into the air*
Aika: BIG BROTHER!
Next time: Luffy vs. Gasparde
Okay, so from the next chapter onward, the Luffy in the memories will be referred to as Past Luffy, just to keep people getting confused.
Also, I'm sorry for the two-month wait. A lot of things came up, but I'm still planning to see this story through to the end, so please try and bear with me.
Review, please!